Henry| The Reading Wonder Dog| Part 1

Henry the Reading Wonder Dog is getting geared up for the Jeffco Library Free Summer Reading Program “Rock the Books” beginning June 1st, 2018! He is encouraging all Green Gables Families to register to win prizes June 1- July 31st by clocking reading minutes for our school. If the school earns the most minutes for an elementary school we have a chance to win $800.00. If Jefferson County reads 40 million minutes the library will donate $500.00 to the Foothills Animal shelter!

What does Henry need you to do today?

Where did Henry come from?

Henry was found on an Indian Reservation in Gallop New Mexico wandering the streets alone. He was injured. The Gallop animal police received an anonymous call to pick up Henry. They contacted Western Aussie Rescue to see if they had a foster home to help rehabilitate Henry. A foster home was found for Henry in Cheyenne Wyoming. Henry began his journey to becoming “Henry the Reading Wonder Dog”.

Henry is about 1.5 years old. He is a ‘south paw’ because his left ear flops over. So we think that Henry is left handed. When Henry was first brought to his foster home he could not climb stairs, he did not play with toys, he did not get along with other dogs, he did not trust people, and he did not have good house manners. His foster parents in Cheyenne Wyoming worked very hard to improve Henry’s skills and manners so that he could find a forever home. Through patience, consistency, love, support, and hard work at his foster home in Wyoming Henry’s basic skills quickly came along. Henry found a forever home in the suburbs outside of Denver, Colorado.

Henry had many doctor appointments to mend his skin and injuries he sustained while out on the streets in Gallop New Mexico. In Wyoming Henry learned how to play with other dogs, trust the company of humans, and he had started to have good house manners. Shortly after arriving in his forever home his new parents decided it was time to send Henry to school. Henry was enrolled in a nearby school for dogs and started to work with a very special trainer named Erica.

Erica is a Professional Dog Trainer. She used positive training methods with Henry to help him master his social skills with both people and his fellow classmates at school. Erica never used the word ‘No’ with Henry. She used words like ‘Aa-Oh’ so that Henry would know when his behavior needed self correction. Erica was very patient with Henry. She rewarded Henry for good behavior with food and positive reinforcement. Henry and Erica worked one on one. Henry needed the extra one on one attention to help him catch up to his fellow classmates at school. Consistency, positive reinforcement, care, and patience paid off for Henry. Henry completed the Canine Good Citizen Certification (CGC) in February, 2017. It was a great accomplishment for Henry. Everyone was very proud of Henry and his CGC certificate. The CGC certificate was not just a piece of paper. It was a recognition of the hard work, patience, and support that everyone worked together to help him achieve. The once lone dog who walked the streets injured and by himself was now a “certified good citizen” surrounded by people who supported him and cared for him. Henry was now a part of an elite group of dogs that had earned the GOLD standard of behavior for dogs awarded by the Animal Kennel Club (AKC).

Henry’s forever parents worked directly with Erica in finding ways for Henry to share his story and his ‘zen’ energy with kids and other dogs. In January 2017 Henry was enrolled with HABIC (Human Animal Bond In Colorado). The groups mission is to “improve the quality of life for people of all ages through the therapeutic use of companion animals.” Henry completed level 3 training in March of 2018.

Henry is now excited to share with our Green Gables students his love of reading and more of his story of perseverance to becoming Henry the Reading Wonder Dog!

He is challenging you all to register today for the Jefferson County Library Free Summer Reading program “Rock the Books” and also become a Reading Wonder.

Look for more information on Henry and his journey in an upcoming post soon!